Guisborough’s relegation battle is set to be fortified by the arrival of an important new addition, and he will be pitched straight into their game against champions Richmondshire.

Popular Sri Lankan Shani Dissanayake is due in the North-East after successfully overcoming a two-month struggle with visa red tape in his own country.

Originally re-signed by Hartlepool after a successful 2015 campaign, the Park Drive club dropped his registration just before the start of the new season as they feared the paperwork issues would drag on.

And while Pools acted quickly to bring in Phil Mustard as his replacement, the Priorymen decided to take up Dissanayake’s cause as their own overseas signing, Enamel Haque junior, had been called into top-level playing action in Bangladesh which would have delayed his arrival until June.

Dissanayake makes his overdue debut on the ground where he built such an outstanding reputation, both on and off the pitch. A Richmondshire player for 12 years, he was a key part of their back-to-back championship winning sides of 2012 and 2013, and in his last seven NYSD seasons he has never scored less than 700 runs, or taken fewer than 60 wickets.

And they certainly need him after another poor batting performance last Saturday saw them beaten by Seaton Carew and plunged into the relegation placings.

The Priorymen show one other change with Col Murray in for the unavailable Richard Dunn, while their hosts promote promising youngster Owen Kelly for his seasonal first-team debut.

The match of the day is at Windy Hill Lane where two sides intent on pounding opponents’ attacks lock horns. Marske, the new outright leaders, entertain fourth-placed Barnard Castle, just eight points currently separating the two high flyers. Despite being just five games into the new campaign the two line-ups feature six players who have already scored centuries, with Lee Hodgson (Marske) and Lachlan Pfeffer (Castle) having notched up two apiece.

It is just a fortnight ago that Barney stunned local rivals Richmond as they chased down a target of 292.

The run-fest raised queries whether it was a record aggregate of runs in a Premier Division game, or the highest successful run chase. However, it came as no surprise to learn that both those records were set on the road-like Marske pitch, Guisborough knocking off 309 in 2007, and Marske sharing 713 runs with Bishop Auckland in 2011.

Barney look like making one change with Richard Stanwix returning in place of the working Graham Hutchinson, and skipper James Finch said: “It’s another big one. We need to keep the momentum going and there’s no reason why we can’t hit top form again. Four centuries in the last two games proves how well we are playing.”

With two home games in two days – they meet Billingham tomorrow – Marske are keeping their team cards close to their chest.

After their blank weekend Normanby Hall return to action with Chris Veasey’s back injury nicely rested, and they promote Lee Havelock after he scored two successive centuries in the second team.

They entertain Great Ayton, who are gathering pace in the top half of the table. The villagers include David Grainge although Joe Marsay is given the chance to rest his foot injury ahead of next week’s double programme.

James Weighell’s first-class success with Durham suggests he will be missing from the Stokesley dressing room for some time. They travel to Feethams where Darlington will be unchanged, as are Middlesbrough who make the trip to Billingham where the Synners have to reckon without wicketkeeper Elliott Holmes.

Former Hartlepool skipper Mike Yuill makes his seasonal debut at Park Drive with John Watson unavailable for the meeting with Norton, who also have absentees with Mark Davies and Harry Linton missing. Second team skipper James Tompkinson and David Cross are called into action.